Bill Cosby finally speaks up about sexual assault charges

American comedian Bill Cosby claimed during his first interview in a long time that racism played a role in the dozens of sexual assault charges filed against him. He also clarified that he does not plan to testify at his trial, so as not to complicate matters for his attorneys.

American comedian Bill Cosby, who has been charged with dozens of counts of sexual assault, provided a rare half-hour interview with Sirius-XM host Michael Smerconish.

During the radio show, Cosby declared that he is not planning on testifying during his trial and that he believes that racism played a big role in the allegations against him. The first trial regarding the matter is expected to begin next Monday.

“I want people to understand my work as an artist, a performer,” Cosby told Smerconish towards the end of the interview. “I owe a great deal to people who saw things in me. And in many ways, in many ways, I returned the favors.”